HITCH A RIDE FOR YOUR HEALTH

DEAR MELBA: While reading your article recently, it dawned on me that I was looking a gift-horse in the mouth. Your column is a great avenue to inform your older readers about our free medical transportation program for low-income older adults who reside in Oklahoma County.

Did you know over 20,000 people over the age of 65 in Oklahoma County are no longer able to drive? RSVP Provide-A-Ride, a part of the Corporation for National Service and a United Way of Central Oklahoma partner agency, uses older adult volunteers who use their own vehicles to provide one-on-one, arm-through-arm medical transportation for low-income seniors who are no longer able to drive. RSVP provides free supplemental insurance and mileage reimbursement to our volunteer drivers. Hundreds of older adults in Oklahoma County are waiting to be served by RSVP Provide-A-Ride, but we need additional volunteer drivers to do it.

Volunteers are asked to serve twice a month or every week. RSVP also connects older adults with rewarding and meaningful volunteer opportunities at 100 local nonprofit organizations who depend on volunteers to help meet their missions and the needs of their clients. Therefore, if driving is not your thing, that’s okay, because RSVP can link you with another volunteer assignment that you’re passionate about. For more information contact 605-3110, beth.patterson@rsvpokc.org, or visit our website at www. rsvpokc.org.

— Beth Patterson, Executive Director RSVP of Central Oklahoma

7401 NE 23

Oklahoma City 73141